Tips for Appealing

Colleges & Universities University of Southern California
1

<p>I don’t really claim expertise, but I see that a lot of you are starting the wildcard race with your shoes untied…</p>

<p>-If USC is your first choice, explain why. School spirit isn’t sufficient. You don’t go there. You’re just a fan, and fandom doesn’t have any academic weight. Explain what activities you want to participate in.</p>

<p>-If you’re undeclared, take a look at a few options and explain how you’ll use your first year to explore different majors and how USC’s GE curriculum is appealing to you.</p>

<p>-Don’t excuse your past grades or complain about teachers or even extreme circumstances. It’s sketchy if you reveal severe illness or the death of a loved one in the appeal round.</p>

<p>-Do report official grade changes or send in new test scores. Update them on new honors, awards, and leadership positions.</p>

<p>-Don’t appeal because of your race, economic hardship, or sexual orientation. USC admits students regardless of these conditions, but appealing with these is just a road to failure.</p>

<p>-Appealing isn’t a chance for you to re-write your essay or short answers. You don’t know what they said about your essay, and you can only guess. It’s probably best to skip mention of anything on your application. Just focus on how you’re doing and what you’re doing right now.</p>

<p>-Be sincere and succinct. Don’t push the word limit. They’re already giving you a second chance. </p>

<p>-And don’t throw in “FIGHT ON!” at the end. Every other person will do that, and if you conclude with that, they might forget what came before.</p>

<p>-After all of that, don’t count on being admitted. Commit to somewhere else on May 1.</p>

2

<p>thank you i am going to use this info</p>

3

<ul>
<li>Express how you could contribute TO the university. If you are into community service, USC has many outreach programs for the neighbourhood, look into them and see if you might be interested. Look into clubs, organizations, research opportunities etc, and make mention of your interest in making a contribution.</li>
</ul>

4

<p>so if i look into those and i saw i would really like to join blah blah blah?</p>

5

<p>Depending on what field you want to study, such service, organizations, opportunities to contribute etc may be particular to USC and not other colleges and may be part of why USC is your first choice. Just an idea.</p>

6

<p>okay thank you soo much!</p>

7

<p>Nicole, really look into these on the website, do a little research, but be sincere about expressing what interests you.</p>

8

<p>I will for sure! I really do want to get in</p>

9

<p>I cant stress how Important the “throw in something new” part is.</p>

10

<p>where exactly can i find programs on there website</p>

11

<p>"While the committee may find a family tragedy or steady academic improvement compelling enough to reverse a decision, they do not feel the same way about Trojan pride. "</p>

<p>i quote a USC site…so actually its good to incorporate about ALL factors.</p>

12

<p>[Daily</a> Trojan - 500 appeal USC rejections, 32 admitted](<a href=“http://www.dailytrojan.com/news/500-appeal-usc-rejections-32-admitted-1.218709]Daily”>http://www.dailytrojan.com/news/500-appeal-usc-rejections-32-admitted-1.218709)</p>

<p>From 2004, but informative.</p>

13

<p>thank you SO much for this thread!</p>

14

<p>thanks for all the info! i’m appealing asap!</p>

15

<p>thanks! i am also appealing</p>

16

<p>How can you make this letter be a page long? My new information took up about a quarter of a page and then I said why I wanted to go to USC. That took a quarter. What to do with the second half of the page??? Leave it blank? Do they actually expect a full page?</p>

17

<p>Uhhh, tell them about yourself? Tell them about what you’ve learned in the past 6 months - things that have affected your life and made you a “better” person. Things such as achievements, awards, new positions and viewpoints in your activities. Why are you a good candidate for appeal and why should they change their previous view of you from your application to an acceptance from this new information provided? </p>

<p>If you really wanted to get in it shouldn’t be that hard to think of things to say for 3 pages. I know I can haha. I mean if you really, really wanted in you’d tell them about how it’s your dream school and all the connotations that go along with it, etc.</p>

18

<p>TrojanTransfer?:“-Don’t excuse your past grades or complain about teachers or even extreme circumstances. It’s sketchy if you reveal severe illness or the death of a loved one in the appeal round.”</p>

<p>Were you referring only to make an excuse for low grades?</p>